Part 5: Trusting God's plan

Deepening your Relationship

Introduction

Timmy and Sarah’s Summer Camp Surprise

Timmy and Sarah were so excited about summer camp. It was their favorite time of year—swimming, hiking, and making new friends. But a week before camp, their parents sat them down with some unexpected news.

“Kids, we’ve had a change of plans,” their dad said. “Instead of camp, we’re going on a family road trip.”

Timmy’s heart sank. “A road trip? But we’ve been waiting for camp all year!”

“We know,” their mom said, “but we feel like this trip is what’s best for the family right now. We’re going to some amazing places, and we’ll be together the whole time.”

Sarah tried to be positive, but Timmy wasn’t having it. “This isn’t fair,” he grumbled. “How could this be better than camp?”

On the trip, Timmy was stubborn and frustrated at first, convinced the whole adventure was a bad idea. But as the days went on, something surprising happened. They visited places they never imagined—stunning mountains, exciting landmarks, and even a theme park that Timmy didn’t know about. The road trip turned out to be full of unforgettable experiences, and Timmy realized that his parents knew what they were doing after all.

At the end of the trip, Timmy smiled at Sarah. “I guess Mom and Dad’s plan was better than camp, huh?”

Sarah nodded, laughing. “Who knew we could trust them?”

Just like Timmy learned to trust his parents' unexpected plan, we often struggle when God’s plans for our lives seem unclear. But, like Timmy discovered, trusting those who see the bigger picture can lead to blessings we didn’t expect!

Introduce the theme:

Trusting God’s plan requires faith, especially when His ways and timing don’t align with our expectations.

I know as preparing this message it was for me.

I hope each of you get something out of it. But if not at leaset i did preparing it

Scripture Reading

Proverbs 3:5–6 NASB95

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.

Isaiah 55:8–9 NASB95

8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.

I. The Challenge of Trusting When God’s Plan is Unclear

A. God’s Plan is Often Different Than Ours:

Imagine for a moment

I gave you a task

The task was to make the most amazing meal you can, using the available ingredients

you walk over the the fridge see a few ingredients

open up the cupboards a few more things

You start to come up with a plan

Its hard, Its difficult, but you struggle through

not really having all you need to make what you intended, but you substitute and do your best.

after putting in a few hours you meal is complete.

below your expectations of what you know you could have done

but you used what you had.

I come into the kitchen to see what you’ve prepared

then I stop and ask you....

Why you didn’t use anything from the pantry

You suprising ask what pantry

I tell you the one behind the door.

You open the door and see aplethera of items

everything fresh and in plenty

All you had to do is open the door, and you had everything you needed and more

I use this to illustrate

When we try to do what we feel God is leading us to do, It is often the case we are not utilizing all God has provided us

we get tunnel vision

focusing on what we see and know

forgetting the God we serve is Jehovah Jireh..the God who provides

He doesn’t send us out unprepared, or unequipped.

and often the time of waiting is actually

a time of preparation

a time of equipping

a time imparting

We truly fool ouselves when we audaciously believe we know better than God

That is God just acted in our timing and in the manner we are expecting

None of us have any every done that?

yeah right

God’s thoughts and ways are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9)

Job 38:4–41 NASB95

4 “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding, 5 Who set its measurements? Since you know. Or who stretched the line on it? 6 “On what were its bases sunk? Or who laid its cornerstone, 7 When the morning stars sang together And all the sons of God shouted for joy? 8 “Or who enclosed the sea with doors When, bursting forth, it went out from the womb; 9 When I made a cloud its garment And thick darkness its swaddling band, 10 And I placed boundaries on it And set a bolt and doors, 11 And I said, ‘Thus far you shall come, but no farther; And here shall your proud waves stop’? 12 “Have you ever in your life commanded the morning, And caused the dawn to know its place, 13 That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, And the wicked be shaken out of it? 14 “It is changed like clay under the seal; And they stand forth like a garment. 15 “From the wicked their light is withheld, And the uplifted arm is broken. 16 “Have you entered into the springs of the sea Or walked in the recesses of the deep? 17 “Have the gates of death been revealed to you, Or have you seen the gates of deep darkness? 18 “Have you understood the expanse of the earth? Tell Me, if you know all this. 19 “Where is the way to the dwelling of light? And darkness, where is its place, 20 That you may take it to its territory And that you may discern the paths to its home? 21 “You know, for you were born then, And the number of your days is great! 22 “Have you entered the storehouses of the snow, Or have you seen the storehouses of the hail, 23 Which I have reserved for the time of distress, For the day of war and battle? 24 “Where is the way that the light is divided, Or the east wind scattered on the earth? 25 “Who has cleft a channel for the flood, Or a way for the thunderbolt, 26 To bring rain on a land without people, On a desert without a man in it, 27 To satisfy the waste and desolate land And to make the seeds of grass to sprout? 28 “Has the rain a father? Or who has begotten the drops of dew? 29 “From whose womb has come the ice? And the frost of heaven, who has given it birth? 30 “Water becomes hard like stone, And the surface of the deep is imprisoned. 31 “Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades, Or loose the cords of Orion? 32 “Can you lead forth a constellation in its season, And guide the Bear with her satellites? 33 “Do you know the ordinances of the heavens, Or fix their rule over the earth? 34 “Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, So that an abundance of water will cover you? 35 “Can you send forth lightnings that they may go And say to you, ‘Here we are’? 36 “Who has put wisdom in the innermost being Or given understanding to the mind? 37 “Who can count the clouds by wisdom, Or tip the water jars of the heavens, 38 When the dust hardens into a mass And the clods stick together? 39 “Can you hunt the prey for the lion, Or satisfy the appetite of the young lions, 40 When they crouch in their dens And lie in wait in their lair? 41 “Who prepares for the raven its nourishment When its young cry to God And wander about without food?

Who are we to question God?

Job 1:1 NASB95

1 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil.

As stated earlier, I’m preaching to myself

this is something I’m still learning... struggling to be honest

Over 10 years ago Shawn Bolz gave me a prophesy

confirming many things God has spoken to me

one of which was the formation of KWEN

and bringing 100 million disciples in the Kingdom

But Shawn’s word also spoke about benefactors coming who would "father my dreams through finances”

Yet the current reality is and has been, that takes faith every month to believe there will be enough just to pay the bills.

But who am I to question God?

Application:

What about you?

are there things you have been waiting on God to deliver?

Things you think God is missing the timing on?

The Tension of Waiting:

Waiting on God’s timing is often difficult,

but essential for growing in trust

The psalmist in Ps 27, challenges us to

Psalm 27:14 NASB95

14 Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord.

We know this is a common device God uses through the Bible.

Application:

Here are 10 examples from the Bible where people felt they were waiting on God:

1. Abraham and Sarah (Genesis 12-21)

Abraham and Sarah waited for decades for God to fulfill His promise of a child. Despite their old age, Isaac was born after years of waiting, teaching them faith in God's timing.

2. Joseph (Genesis 37-50)

Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers and spent years in prison before God elevated him to a position of power in Egypt. He waited on God’s timing for his purpose to unfold.

3. Moses (Exodus 2-3, 7-14)

Moses waited 40 years in the desert after fleeing Egypt before God called him to deliver the Israelites. He then led the Israelites, waiting another 40 years for the Promised Land.

4. David (1 Samuel 16-2 Samuel 5)

After being anointed as king by Samuel, David waited many years before he actually became king. He lived on the run from King Saul, trusting God’s plan in the waiting.

5. Hannah (1 Samuel 1-2)

Hannah prayed and waited for a child, enduring years of barrenness and mockery from others. God eventually answered her prayers with the birth of Samuel.

6. Noah (Genesis 6-9)

Noah waited on God while building the ark, trusting in God’s promise of deliverance. After the flood, he waited for the waters to recede before starting life anew.

7. Job (Job 1-42)

Job waited for answers and relief in the midst of intense suffering. He didn’t understand why he was suffering, but he remained faithful, trusting in God’s justice and timing.

8. Israelites in Captivity (Jeremiah 29:10-14)

The Israelites waited 70 years in Babylonian exile before they were allowed to return to Jerusalem. God promised them restoration but told them to wait patiently for His timing.

9. Elizabeth and Zechariah (Luke 1)

Elizabeth and Zechariah waited until old age for the birth of their son, John the Baptist. Their waiting was marked by faith, even when Zechariah initially doubted.

10. The Disciples Waiting for the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4-8)

After Jesus’ ascension, the disciples were told to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit. They waited in prayer and expectation, and were later empowered at Pentecost.

Each of these examples demonstrates the tension between human impatience and God’s perfect timing,

illustrating how faith and trust are often tested in seasons of waiting.

maybe I shouldn’t mention this here.

2 Peter 3:8 NASB95

8 But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.

II. Embracing the Mystery of God’s Ways

God’s Plan is Perfect, Even When We Don’t Understand:

the story of Joseph

We get the benefit of seeing how the story ends

but have you taken the time to recognize the story from Joseph perspective.

God gives him a dream about the future

Genesis 37:6–8 NASB95

6 He said to them, “Please listen to this dream which I have had; 7 for behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and lo, my sheaf rose up and also stood erect; and behold, your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to my sheaf.” 8 Then his brothers said to him, “Are you actually going to reign over us? Or are you really going to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.

His brothers want to kill him for it.

they make a plan to kill him

But Rueben convinced them to throw him in the well instead.

The brothers then sold him as a slave

As a slave when he did the right thing and rejected the seduction of His Masters Wife

He was thrown in jail

While in jail he was able to correctly interpret the dreams of the baker and the whine taster.

Only to be fogotten about

years go by

then when Pharoh has a dream none of his wise men can interpret. Joseph get called up

once he faithfully reveales th truth about the pharoahs dream, Joseph is made the 2nd most powerful person in all of egypt.

He was 30 years old when he became vice-regent.

he was around 17 when he had his first dream and then was sold into slavery

Anyone feel that’s a route they would like to take to see their dreams fulfilled.

Not my ideal way for certain

nor do I think it was Joeseph’

but listen to what he had to say about the who experience, when talkng to his brothers

Genesis 50:20 NASB95

20 “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.

God’s goal was to save many peoples lives from the coming famine

He choose Joeseph to be the instrument to see that happen

When God gave Joseph that dream, he left out alot of datails

He didn’t tell him You will have to become a slave

you will be mistreated by you master

you will be imprisoned

and left there for over a decade

then I’ll raise you up to rank #2 In the land of Egypt

All God told Jospeh was through the dreams.

not alot of detail there

God’s ways are higher than our ways

He very seldom tells us all the details.

Why?

If gives space for faith to operate!

If God told us everything…there would be no need for faith

Application:

The lesson here is to embrace the mystery of God’s ways and trust that He works all things for good

Romans 8:28 NASB95

28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

Faith Requires Trust Beyond Understanding:

Trusting God means walking by faith, not by sight

2 Corinthians 5:7 NASB95

7 for we walk by faith, not by sight—

Application:

The lesson here is to let go of the need for control and trust God

III. Faith is essential to deepen Our Relationship with God

From Knowledge to Experience:

Faith moves us from knowing about God to experiencing His faithfulness firsthand.

Hebrews 11:6 NASB95

6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

faith is essential ,

Application:

Think about some challenges you’ve overcome in life, how has faith in God deepened your personal relationship with Him.

Trust is Built Through Trials:

We don’t like trials, but unfortunatley....

Trials are often the training ground for trust

James 1:2–4 NASB95

2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Application:

the lesson here: We need to see challenges as opportunities to trust God more deeply.

IV. Practical Steps to Trusting God’s Plan

Seek God Through Prayer and His Word:

Trust is cultivated through daily prayer and studying God’s promises in Scripture

Philippians 4:6 NASB95

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Application:

Make time each day to pray and meditate on God’s Word, especially in seasons of uncertainty.

Surrender Control:

Surrendering our plans to God is key to trusting Him fully

Proverbs 16:9 NASB95

9 The mind of man plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.

Application:

identify areas of life where you need to let go and trust God.

Surround Yourself with Godly Counsel:

Trust is strengthened in community with other believers who can offer encouragement and wisdom

Proverbs 11:14 NLT

14 Without wise leadership, a nation falls; there is safety in having many advisers.

Application:

Share with someone how a supportive community has helped you stay faithful to God’s plan.

V. The Blessing of Trusting God’s Plan

God’s Peace in the Midst of difficulty:

Trusting God brings a peace that surpasses understanding, even in difficult times

Philippians 4:7 NASB95

7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Application:

lean into God’s peace when facing uncertainty.

You may not know how God is going to work it out....that’s Ok

He does,

Don’t allow the enemy to rob you of your peace

instead use it as an opportunity to have your relationship with God deepen

God’s Guidance Leads to Fulfillment:

When we trust and obey, God directs our paths and fulfills His promises (Proverbs 3:6).

he won’t bypass the trust elements, as its an important building block into sculpting you into who he wants you to be

Application:

I Iove hearing stories of how God’s guidance brought about unexpected blessings.

maybe because we get a glimpse of God’s handiwork

but it also increase our faith to believe He will do it for me as well

Take time and tell those stories to others.

How did listening to God, turn into something amazing in your life

think about it

ask Holy Spirit to remind you of a example.

then share it with someone

Conclusion

Recap the importance of trusting God’s plan, especially when it’s unclear or different from our own.

Challenge the congregation to identify areas where they need to trust God more deeply and take a step of faith.

Closing Prayer

Pray for hearts willing to trust God, even when His plan isn’t clear.

Ask for peace, faith, and strength to walk in obedience and trust His perfect timing.